Familial Bonds
by JasonMorganfan87
Summary: Tag to 'Past Lives'. Callen's former alias comes back to bite him for the second time when his old flame dies and he learns that she lied to him about the most important thing in his life. Will he be able to deal with the new changes in his life or will he crash and burn?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIA: Los Angeles or any of their characters.**

**Familial Bonds**

Sam, Kensi, and Deeks were all at their desks when they noticed Callen come staggering in. He had bags under his eyes and he seemed to barely be able to walk. "Whoa, what happened to you?" Kensi asked.

"Didn't sleep that great last night," Callen said as he collapsed in his chair next to Kensi.

Sam snorted. "You never sleep. What's the difference between last night and every other night?"

Callen glared at his partner. "I sleep. I may not get the same amount of sleep as you, but I sleep. I didn't get _any_ sleep last night. A bunch of kids moved into the place next store and I guess they wanted to celebrate by throwing an all-night party with extremely loud music. I swear, I almost took out my gun and shot them."

"You should've. I would've," Sam said.

Soon, they all heard someone clear their throat from behind them. They turned to see Hetty there. "Mr. Callen, I word if you'd please."

Callen groaned and stood back up. He knew being called into Hetty's office couldn't be a good thing. He followed Hetty into her office before speaking. "Whatever it is, Deeks did it."

"I find that hard to believe as Mr. Deeks has never been known under the alias Jason Tedrow," Hetty said as she sat down behind her desk.

Callen suddenly became wide awake. That was a name he hadn't expected to hear again. He'd briefly had to reprise that alias about a year ago, but Hetty had told him that the alias was officially off limits for good. "Hetty, I thought we agreed he was gone for good."

"Yes, well, apparently someone decided otherwise. LAPD is apparently searching for Mr. Tedrow. Our systems were notified immediately," Hetty said.

"Why? What do the LAPD want with an alias that hasn't been used in a year? How do they even know about it?" Callen asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine, Mr. Callen. I suggest that you find out," Hetty said.

Callen sighed. This really, really wasn't his day. The last thing he wanted was to revisit that time in his life again. It had opened up a lot of feelings he'd tried very hard to forget last time. "Fine, but I swear, if it's not good, I'm gonna shoot somebody."

"Hmm. See a Detective Jareks when you get there."

Callen nodded and walked back into the squad room.

Sam immediately noticed that his friend looked even less happy than he did when he went into Hetty's office. "Everything okay?"

"Peachy," Callen said as he walked passed them all.

"He does not look happy," Deeks said once Callen was gone.

"No, he does not," Sam agreed.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Callen entered the LAPD and went straight to the front desk. "Can I help you?" the officer at the desk asked.

"Yeah, I'm looking for Detective Jareks," Callen said.

A man in a suit with dark brown hair approached. "I'm Jareks. You are?"

Callen took out his badge and showed it to the man. "Callen, NCIS. Can we talk privately?"

"Sure, follow me," Jareks said before leading him into an office. "I'm surprised you'd come here personally. We do have a liaison officer do it."

Callen closed the door behind him. "Yeah, well, special circumstances."

"What can I do for you?" Jareks asked as he leaned against the desk.

"I hear you're looking for Jason Tedrow," Callen said.

Jareks raised an eyebrow. "One of your cases I take it. I can't say I'm that surprised. I was able to find out a little about the guy. He's got quite the rap sheet."

"What do you want with him?" Callen asked, not ready to admit that he was actually Tedrow.

"I'm afraid that's between Mr. Tedrow and myself. It's not an NCIS matter," Jareks said.

"I beg to differ. Everything to do with him is an NCIS matter," Callen said irritably. He was not in the mood for this. It was bad enough that he had to deal with this again. He was not going to deal with a secretive LAPD detective.

"Look, it's not a legal matter. It's really just a technicality. Unfortunately, it's something that needs to be cleared up with Mr. Tedrow before things can proceed," he said.

"Proceed with what?!" Callen snapped. He really wished the man would just get on with it and tell him.

Jareks sighed. "Okay, fine. If you must know, Tedrow's ex-girlfriend died last week."

Callen felt like someone had just stabbed him. Kristen was dead? No. No, that couldn't be right. When he saw her last, she was fine. She had a good life. She had a kid and she was about to get married. She couldn't be gone. "K…Kristen Donnelly is d…dead?"

"Yeah, she and her husband were coming back from their honeymoon. It was a plane crash," Jareks said.

"And you're sure it was her?" Callen asked. He knew was probably grasping at straws a little, but he couldn't help but look for some way, any way, that Kristen was still alive."

"Yeah, she's been identified. Now will you tell me where Tedrow is? I need to dot my 'I's and cross my 'T's," Jareks said.

Callen walked over and collapsed in the chair in front of the detective. "You're looking at him."

Jareks frowned. "What?"

Callen figured there was no point in keeping it a secret now. Tedrow was gone for good. He would never be using that alias again. "Jason Tedrow was an undercover alias. He never existed. I'm the guy you want to talk to. Although, I can't imagine why you'd want to talk to me. I haven't seen Kristen in over a year and we didn't exactly part on friendly terms.

"It's about her boy."

"What about him?" Callen asked. He felt bad for the kid, he did, but he wasn't sure why that would affect him. He'd only even seen the child twice.

Jareks frowned once more. "Okay, when I thought Tedrow was a career criminal, I would've expected this reaction, but I would've thought that someone such as yourself would show a little bit of interest.

"Interest in what? The kid? I feel bad for him. No one deserves to lose their family like that, but I just don't understand what it has to do with me," Callen said honestly.

"It has everything to do with you, Agent Callen. After all, he is your son.


	2. Chapter 2

Callen stared at the detective in shock. Did he really just say that? Did he really just call Kristen's little boy his son? "I'm sorry, my what?"

"Your son. I'm sorry, I thought you knew. You were certainly aware that the child existed," Jareks said.

"No, there must be some mistake. I'm not the father of Kristen's son," Callen said. It was a misunderstanding. Jareks must have just assumed it was him because he was with Kristen right before the child would've been conceived. But he wasn't the father. Kristen had assured him of that.

"Well, you're welcome to take a DNA test if you want, but according to this file, and what you just told me, you are the father of Michael Tedrow," Jareks said.

Callen gaped in shock. Kristen had given her son his last name. Well, okay, it wasn't really his last name, but she thought it was. Why would she do that if he wasn't the father? "S…she said he wasn't mine."

"I don't mean any disrespect to the dead, Agent Callen but people do lie. You're listed as the father of record. Well, Jason Tedrow is anyway," Jareks said.

Callen placed a hand over his face. He couldn't believe this was happening. Kristen had lied. Either she lied on her son's birth certificate or she lied to him a year ago when she told him that the boy was not his. And, yeah, he knew he'd lied to her too, but this was different. This was about a piece of him. If Michael was his son, he had the right to know.

Callen's thoughts traveled to that little boy. He remembered the first time he'd met seen Michael. He remembered thinking that the boy looked like him. He had the same eye and hair color he did and he was just the right age. He had wondered then. But Kristen had looked him in the eye and told him that Michael was not his son. He believed her. He didn't think she would lie to him. But now everything was saying that she had.

"Agent Callen? Agent Callen, are you alright? Am I right to assume you would like a DNA test?" Jareks asked.

Callen took a deep breath and somehow managed to find his voice. "Yes. Yes, I'd like the test. Where is he now? Michael?"

"Well, he doesn't have any other family aside from yourself, so he's in foster care at the moment," Jareks said.

Callen's eyes widened in horror as he imagined that sweet little boy being shuffled to some home with people who didn't give a damn about him. He knew all too well what could happen to a child in the system. He wouldn't want that for anyone, let alone a boy that could very well be his son. "H…how long has he been there? How long does he have to be there?"

"Well, that's up to you, Agent Callen. If you are the father, you'll have the option to take him. If not, he'll remain in foster care until a permanent home can be found," Jareks explained.

"You mean _if_ one is found. "He knew from experience that finding someone willing to take Michael in permanently wasn't guaranteed. Michael was around the same age he was when he entered the system and he certainly never got even near a permanent home.

"Look, let's take it one thing at a time. I'll call Child Services and let them know I've located you and that you're willing to be tested for paternity. However, they're going to want to know first if you are entertaining the idea of taking him in if he is yours," Jareks said.

"I'll take him," Callen said. He surprised even by himself. He didn't know how to be a father. The only kids he'd ever been around were Sam's. He'd never been a parent or anything close to that. But the idea of allowing a child of his to grow up the way he did was not an option. He wouldn't even entertain it.

"Good to hear. I'll call Child Services and let them know," Jareks said before picking up the phone.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

A few hours later, Callen found himself sitting on a park bench watching a bunch of kids play. It was hard to believe that someday soon, he might be watching his own child play. That wasn't something he'd ever imagined would happen for him. His life was just too unpredictable to even entertain the idea of bringing a child into the world. But he might have done just that. He would find out very soon.

After leaving the police station, Callen had met with a representative from Social Services. She'd arranged for him to take a DNA test with Michael tomorrow morning. Soon he would know for one hundred percent certain if he was a father.

Callen soon felt someone approach him. He didn't need to look to know who it was. "How'd you find me?"

"I got my ways," Sam said before sitting down next to him. "Hetty asked me to come find you? She said you went to see someone from the LAPD. That was like four hours ago. So what's up? Last time you ended up in a place like this, you cover had been blown."

Instead of answering him, Callen continued to watch the children play. "Were you scared?"

"What?" Sam asked in confusion.

Callen finally turned to his partner. "When you found out you were going to be a father. Were you scared?"

Sam wasn't sure why his partner was asking such a question, but he decided to answer anyway. "Terrified. There's nothing scarier than knowing you're responsible for another human being for everything? I was constantly afraid that I was going to screw up so bad that I missed my kid up forever."

Callen shuddered. Now he was even more afraid. What if he messed up? What if he screwed Michael up forever?

"What's going on, G? Why are you asking me this?" Sam asked.

Callen stared ahead once more. "She lied to me, Sam. Or at least it's looking that way."

"Who?" Sam asked in confusion. His partner wasn't making sense. Who had lied to him and about what?

"Kristen Donnelly. She was the girl I was with when I was undercover as Jason Tedrow," Callen told him. He knew his partner would figure it out from there.

Sam did figure it out. He remembered the case immediately. He hadn't been there when the case initially started, but he was there a year ago when G had to reprise his role as Jason Tedrow. That case had hit his partner hard, so it was hard to forget. "The woman with the kid you thought might have been yours."

Callen nodded. "She said he wasn't mine."

"I take it that maybe that wasn't exactly the truth," Sam said. It made sense with the way his partner was talking. He wouldn't be sitting in a park filled with kids asking about parenthood for no reason.

"She listed me on the birth certificate. She gave him my last name. Well, sort of. It was Tedrow's last name, but same difference," Callen said.

"How do you know all this? She tell you?" Sam asked.

"No. She's dead. An LAPD detective told me," he said.

Sam cringed. "Oh, I'm sorry, G. I know how much she meant to you."

Callen nodded. "I'm supposed to take a paternity test tomorrow. Within a few days, I could become the father of a five-year-old boy. I can't think of anything more frightening than that."

Sam sighed. "I won't lie to you, man. Being a dad is scary as hell. More scary than the job or the danger that comes with it. But it's also rewarding. When you see your kid smile up at you with admiration, it's the best feeling in the world.

"I never thought I'd be a father. I never wanted it. My life is entirely too complicated for that," Callen said.

"You'd be a good dad, G. It'll change your life, there's no denying that, but you can do it. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. We don't know this child is yours," Sam said. Sure, it seemed like he probably was, but they didn't know for sure.

"Yeah, I guess. I should probably wait for the test before I start obsessing about this, huh?" Callen asked.

"Yeah. Come on, let's get out of here before Hetty sends a search team out for us," Sam said before standing up.

Callen took a deep breath before standing up and following his friend out of the park.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Callen sat in the hospital with Sam. He was waiting to take the DNA test with Michael. "So what'd you tell Hetty?"

"That the kids were sick with the flu and I needed to stay home to help," Sam said. He was pretty sure Hetty knew he was lying though. She wouldn't have believed that he and G were both out the same day for perfectly legit reasons. "What about you?"

"That I needed to clear up a few details with LAPD regarding Kristen," Callen said. He'd told Hetty about Kristen dying, but he had not told her about Michael. He didn't want to tell anyone else until he knew for sure one way or another. "You don't need to be here, Sam. I'm fine."

Sam shook his head. "No way am I letting you go Lone Wolf on this one, G. This is big. It's bigger than the job. It may even be bigger than anything you've ever had to deal with."

"Oh, trust me, I know," Callen said. He was very well aware that this was huge. It could potentially change his life forever.

Callen looked over to his right just in time to see the social worker he'd spoken with walk in with a young boy. A boy he instantly recognized as Michael.

"Is that him?" Sam asked as he followed his partner's gaze. The kid looked just like G. Sam had no trouble believe the boy was G's son. In fact, he would almost be surprised if he wasn't.

"Yeah," Callen said distractedly. His attention was focused on the boy that could be his son. Michael looked sad and afraid. Callen really felt for him. Son or no son, this little boy had just lost everything. His mother, his stepfather, even his own home. He probably felt all alone. Callen knew that feeling all too well.

Callen watched as a nurse came out and approached Michael and his social worker, probably for the DNA test. Michael recoiled immediately. He pulled away from his social worker and shook his head wildly. He looked terrified. Callen couldn't really blame him. He probably didn't know what the hell was going on right now.

Before Callen even knew what was happening, he was standing up and walking towards them.

"Whoa, G, what are you doing?" Sam asked cautiously.

Callen didn't answer, he just kept walking. Honestly, he didn't know what he was doing. It was like his legs had taken off without consulting his brain and before he knew it, he was standing just feet away from Michael.

"Agent Callen, you should go back to your seat and wait for your turn," the social worker said calmly but firmly.

Callen scowled at her, but otherwise ignored her. He was focused on the little boy that in all likelihood would turn out to be his son. He knelt down in front of the boy and smiled. "Hi, Michael. Do you remember me?" He didn't really expect the boy to remember him. He'd only seen him twice and it was only for a minute.

Much to Callen's surprise, Michael nodded his head. "Mommy's friend."

"That's right. So I bet you're kinda scared right now, huh?" Callen asked.

Michael nodded. "They say I have to take a test, but I don't want to. I don't like the doctor without Mommy."

"You know, I have to take the test too," Callen told him.

"You do? Are you scared?" Michael asked.

"Yeah, I am," Callen said. He wasn't afraid of the test itself, obviously, but he was terrified of the results. "But I was thinking that maybe we could take the test together. Maybe then we'll be less afraid."

"Do we have to have a shot?" Michael asked.

"No, no shots. I don't like shots either. They're just going to rub a Q-tip against our cheeks. It might feel weird, but it won't hurt. I'll go first, so you can see. What do you say?" Callen asked.

"O…okay," Michael said. He still sounded scared, but not to the same degree as a few moments ago.

"Agent Callen, this is not a good idea," the social worker said.

Callen completely ignored her as he grabbed Michael's hand and followed the nurse towards the back.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

"You were good with that kid," Sam said to Callen as they were walking out of the hospital.

"You didn't even hear us. You were across the room," Callen pointed out.

"I didn't need to hear it. The second you started talking to him, he calmed down. He went with you for the test," Sam said.

"I got a five-year-old to allow a cheek swab. It's hardly rocket science," Callen said.

"You made him feel safe. That's what a father is supposed to do," Sam said pointedly. He wanted G to see that he wasn't as hopeless as he seemed to think. He already had the instincts of a parent.

"It was one moment, Sam. I helped a kid get through a moment of fear. It hardly compares to being responsible for every aspect of that child's life. And I probably will be. I'm not stupid, Sam. I know this test was merely a formality. In all likelihood, that child will be coming home with me. And that scares the hell out of me because I have no idea what to do," Callen said.

"Everybody's terrified, G. But let me tell you something, you just made things a little better for that kid," Sam said.

Callen stopped and turned to his partner. "How do you figure?"

"Like you said, this DNA test is probably a formality. Someday soon, that boy will be coming to live with you. And because of what you just did, he'll have an easier time adjusting. Only slightly, but every little bit helps. He'll remember what you did today and it'll make him feel more secure," Sam explained.

"You really think so?" Callen asked skeptically. He found it hard to believe that such a little thing could have such a big effect on a little boy.

"Yeah, I do. Kids are smart, G. That kid knows he can trust you somewhat because of the way you were with him. You promised him he would be okay if he went with you for that test and you kept that promise. It may not seem like much to you or me, but it will mean much more to him," Sam said.

"Here's hoping you're right," Callen said before he started towards his car once more.


	4. Chapter 4

The next few days passed with Callen on pins and needles. He thought he was going to go out of his mind if he didn't get the test results soon. He barely slept at night and he was constantly looking at his phone as if he could will it to ring. In fact that was what he was doing right now. He was sitting at his desk and staring at his cellphone.

"Dude, what is it? Do you think there's like a bomb in your phone or something?" Deeks asked as he watched Callen.

"I'm waiting for a phone call," Callen said while still staring at his phone.

"G, staring at that thing aint gonna make it ring any faster," Sam said.

"What's going on anyway? I don't think I've ever seen you this edgy," Kensi said.

"I'm fine," Callen said before reluctantly turning back to his paperwork. Sam was right, staring at his phone wasn't going to make the test results come any quicker. If anything, it would seem longer.

Callen had just started his work when he heard the song from his cellphone. He had it on and to his ear within seconds. "Callen."

"_Agent Callen, this is Margaret Toby with Social Services."_

"Yes, just a second," Callen said before scrambling to his feet and racing down the hall to a storage room. Once inside, he shut the door behind him. "Okay, I'm ready. Do you have the test results?"

"_Yes. Now would like to come down and hear them or would you…"_

Callen cut her off before she could finish. "No, I wanna know now. Just tell me."

"_The tests were conclusive and leave no room for doubt. You are Young Michael's father," _Mrs. Toby said.

Callen let out the breath he didn't know he was holding. It was all true. He was Michael's father. He was a father. The news threw him more than it should have. He already suspected that his was how it would end. Michael looked just like him. He knew the test was probably just a formality. But he supposed suspecting something and hearing it as fact were too different things. "Okay, so what now?"

"_Now you need to make a decision, Agent Callen. You need to decide if you want to raise Michael," _Mrs. Toby said.

"I already made that decision. I told you that I was going to take him if he was mine," Callen said. Taking Michael scared the hell out of him, but it was what he was going to do. He was not going to leave his son to fend for himself in the system. _His_ son. That sounded weird even in his mind. He had a son.

"_Well, that was before the test results were in."_

"What difference does that make?" Callen asked.

"_No offense, Agent Callen, but in my experience, it's better to wait until paternity has been established before believing any promises. I've had more than a few fathers change their minds once they were proven to be the fathers," _Mrs. Toby said.

"Well, I'm not one of them. I did not say I'd take Michael because it was expected of me. I did it because it is in Michael's best interests," Callen said. As scared as he was, he really believed Michael was better off with him than in foster care. At least he would care about him. "Now when can I have my son?"

"_Let's not jump the gun here, okay? We have to take this one step at a time. It'll be a little while before Michael goes home with you. He needs to get to know you first, so he doesn't feel like he's going home with a stranger,"_ Mrs. Toby explained.

"Because that's so much different than who he's with now?" Callen asked. He did understand that things would be difficult for Michael because he didn't know him, but he didn't know the people he was with now either. In Callen's opinion, it was better for Michael to be with him rather than people he wasn't going to stay with indefinitely.

"_Agent Callen, I realize this is difficult, but we have to follow the rules. The system works the way it does for a reason."_

"Lady, don't talk to me about the system! I know how the system works!" Callen said shortly. In his opinion, the system sucked. It took kids that had lost everything and shuffled them around from home to home. It was torture for a kid. It made them have to grow up before they were ready. Callen himself had never really been a child. He'd had to learn from an early age that the one who would take care of him was him. He would be damned if he let that happen Michael. Callen vowed that no matter what, he would make sure Michael knew he could count on him.

Callen took a few deep breaths to try to calm himself. Alienating the social worker was not going to help any. "Okay, if I can't have my son, can I at least see him?"

"_Of course. If you want to meet me here at say around two, I'll take you to see him," _Mrs. Toby said.

"I'll be there," Callen said before hanging up. He then took a deep breath before walking out of the room and heading back into the squad room. He stopped and nodded at Sam, who was giving him a questioning look before heading for Hetty's office.

"Can I help you, Mr. Callen?" Hetty asked.

"I need some time off," Callen said. That social worker was right about one thing. He and Michael needed to get used to each other. And since the job was very time consuming, he would need to take some time off.

Hetty didn't even bat an eyelash. "I take it the boy is yours then?"

Callen gaped at her in shock. "How?! Really, just how? The only person I told was Sam and we both know the big guy can keep a secret. You know what, never mind. I don't even know why I'm surprised."

"How much time do you need, Mr. Callen?" Hetty asked.

"An unspecified amount. There's a child that is going to be coming to live with me very soon and I have to get ready for him. He's also going to need to adjust to being with me and for that, he needs to have my undivided attention.

"I'm assuming you already have a form filled out," Hetty said.

Callen smiled and pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket. He'd filled out the appropriate form days ago in preparation for this.

Hetty took the paper from him and immediately signed the bottom. "You have as long as you need, Mr. Callen.

"Thanks, Hetty," Callen said before taking the form back and heading back out.


	5. Chapter 5

Callen followed Mrs. Toby in his car. They arrived at a light blue house in the middle of the suburbs. He immediately parked and got out of the car. He stood there frozen for a minute. He flashed back to when he was a kid for a minute. He remembered quite well being brought to places just like this when he was a kid. He felt almost surreal to be there to see another child in a similar position.

"Agent Callen?"

Callen finally pulled out of his thoughts and turned to Mrs. Toby.

"You ready?" Mrs. Toby asked.

Callen nodded and followed her up to the door. Mrs. Toby knocked and the both waited to be answered.

The door was opened a few moments later by a middle-aged woman with short dark hair. "Margaret, hi. Come on in," the woman said before stepping aside to let them him.

"Hi, Emma, this is Agent G Callen. Michael's father," Mrs. Toby said.

"It's nice to meet you, Agent Callen. Michael's upstairs. I'm afraid he's not coping too well," Emma said.

Callen couldn't say he was surprised by that. Kids didn't tend to do well with having their entire world turned upside down. "He's in a house with strangers. I didn't expect him to be doing well."

There was an awkward silence between the three before Emma cleared her throat. "Well, I'll go get him," she said before leaving.

"Agent Callen, I realize this is a difficult situation, but was that really necessary?" Mrs. Toby asked.

"What? I didn't say anything that wasn't true. Michael is with a bunch of strangers who don't care about him," Callen said. That woman might have put on a good show, hell, she might even care about foster children in general, but Michael was just another kid to her. He didn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

"Now that's not true. Emma has been a foster mother for years. She is great with children," Mrs. Toby said.

"Lady, you can save company line for someone who doesn't know better," Callen said firmly.

"Do you have something against the Foster Care System, Agent Callen?" she asked.

"Not for everyone. I know it can be good for some children. But it can also be very bad for others," Callen said. He did know that foster care did save a lot of lives. Some children would be lost without. However, a lot were more lost because of it. He was a prime example of that.

Mrs. Toby stared at him for a minute. "You were a foster child, weren't you?"

Callen was saved from answering when Emma came back down the stairs holding Michael's hand. Callen immediately smiled at the boy. "Hey, there, buddy."

"I'll be in the living room," Emma said before leaving the room.

"It's you," Michael said as he walked over to Callen.

Callen nodded and knelt down. "That's right. It's good to see you again. How are you doing?"

Michael wiped his eyes. It was obvious that he'd been crying. "I wanna go home. I miss Mommy."

Callen smiled sadly. "I know, buddy. I miss her too. But it's going to be okay, I promise."

"What's your name? I don't remember," Michael said.

That was a loaded question. Callen wasn't sure how to answer it, partly because he didn't really know what it was either and partly because he wasn't sure if he should tell Michael he was his father. In the end, he decided that telling Michael the truth now would just overwhelm him. The kid had been thought enough already. He would ease him into the truth later. "Well, my partner calls me G. You can too if you want."

Michael giggled. "That's a funny name.

Callen laughed with him. "I'm glad you think so."

"How come you're here?" Michael asked.

"I wanted to see you. I wanted us to get to know each other," Callen told him.

"Why?" Michael wondered.

Callen contemplated how to answer that question without confusing the kid even more. "Because I was your mommy's friend and I thought maybe we could be friends. I think you could probably use a friend right now, huh? It's not so fun being here, is it?"

Michael shook his head.

"I know the feeling," Callen said as he once again reflected on his past. It was amazing how much and Michael had in common. They'd both been subjected to this twisted system. The only difference was that Michael would not be a part of it long. Michael would be with him soon enough.

"Do I have to stay here forever?" Michael asked. He really hoped not. He didn't like it there and the people there didn't seem to like him the way his mommy and Tommy did.

"No," Callen said firmly. "I promise you won't have to stay here very long. You can't go home because no one's there, but I was thinking that maybe we can become good friends and then you can come stay with me." That was the best way he knew to explain the situation at the moment. Telling him about being his father would just be too much for the little boy to handle right now.

"You mean come live with you? Why? Because you were mommy's friend?" Michael asked.

"Something like that. I know I'm not the same as your mom, but I think we could have a lot of fun together. But we don't have to think about that right now. For right now, I was thinking we could just spend some time together. Would it be okay if I came to visit you every day?" Callen asked.

Michael thought about it for a second and then nodded. He thought it would be nice to have a friend. The man was nice to him the last time and made him feel better. It would be better than the other people that didn't seem to like him as much. "Yeah, I'd like that. I'll be your friend. Do you wanna see my room here?"

Callen smiled. "I would love to."

Michael took his hand and pulled him up the stairs.


	6. Chapter 6

When Callen returned home later that night, Sam was waiting on his doorstep. "Hey. What are you doing here?"

"Figured you were going to see the kid today, so I thought I'd drop by and see how it went," Sam said.

"Uh, it was alright," Callen said hesitantly as he unlocked the door and walked inside. It had been alright until the end when he had to leave. Leaving just didn't sit well with him.

Sam followed his partner inside and closed the door behind him. "You don't sound too sure of that."

"No, it was," Callen said as he led the way into the kitchen. He pulled two beers out of the refrigerator and handed one to Sam. "It went a lot better than I thought it would. I thought I would be there and I wouldn't know what to say, but when I was there with him, it wasn't too difficult to figure it out.

"Your instincts are kicking in," Sam said.

"Instincts?" Callen asked.

"Yeah, your instincts as a father. There are sometimes when you just know what the right thing to do is. It just comes to you and you run with it," Sam said before taking a sip of his beer.

"Well, my instincts towards the end told me to grab Michael and run. I'm pretty sure that wouldn't have been the right thing to do," Callen said.

Sam chuckled. "No, it wouldn't have. It was hard, huh?" He wasn't really surprised to hear it. It would be hard for any parent to leave their kid with strangers, but for G it had to be much worse. He understood the kind of situation he was leaving his kid in because he'd been there.

"More than you'll ever know," Callen said as he looked down sadly. "It felt wrong. He doesn't to be there and I can't blame him. Those people don't care about him and he knows it."

Sam nodded. "Yeah, kids are usually perceptive about that kind of thing. They know when someone genuinely cares for them and when it's just an act."

"And Michael's no exception. He knows he's not important to them. To them, he's just another kid for them to 'save'," Callen said.

"This has gotta be really difficult for you. Michael's the same age you were, isn't he?" Sam asked.

Callen nodded. "Yeah. The similarities aren't lost on me. Our situations are a lot alike. We both lost everything at a young age and were forced into a system that only cared for our physical well-being. But there is one very big difference. My son will not be a part of this screwed up system long enough to get used to it. Michael will not have the life I did."

Sam smiled. "You're already thinking like a dad. You're gonna be a good father, G."

"Well, I don't know about that, but I gotta believe that I can do better than foster care," Callen said. He was still terrified that he would do something wrong and mess Michael up, he knew he had to at least be able to raise him better than whatever strangers Michael would be placed with over the years if Callen wasn't around.

"You'll do much better," Sam said confidently.

"You know I never thought this would happen to me," Callen said as he leaned against the counter and took a sip of his beer.

"You never thought you'd have a kid?" Sam asked.

"No. I mean, come on, look at my life. I'm still in limbo from not knowing who I am. Plus there's the whole job thing. Bringing a kid into all that just didn't seem right. Maybe that's why I believed Kristen when she said Michael wasn't my son," Callen said.

"You wish he wasn't?" Sam asked.

"I don't actually. Yeah, it was surprising and it still scares the hell out of me, but I'm not sorry about it. Being with him today was amazing. When I was with him, it was like the rest of the world was gone. I didn't think about the job, I didn't think about my pest, hell, I didn't even think about Kristen's death, except for in the beginning," Callen said. After the ice had broken and he and Michael had gone upstairs, everything melted away. Every problem he had disappeared for that short amount of time.

"Yeah, kids can have that effect on you. Don't get me wrong, raising kids is no walk in the park, but whenever I have a bad day, my kids are somehow able to make it all disappear," Sam said.

"Yeah, that's how it was. It was great. Until I had to leave him there," Callen said sadly.

"He won't be long. You'll see to that. So does he know?" Sam asked.

"You mean that I'm his father? No, not yet. The poor kid's in chaos right now. He lost his mom and then got taken away to some stranger all in a matter of moments. The last thing he needs is some guy he doesn't know telling him he's his father. I couldn't add to his distress. For now he just thinks I'm a friend and that he's going to come live with me soon. That's as much as he can handle right now," Callen said.

Sam smiled. "This is just more proof that you're going to be a great dad. By the way, if you're going to be a dad, you're gonna have to start sleeping regularly."

Callen scowled lightly.

Sam just continued to grin. "No more two hours sleep a night. That kid's gonna keep you on your toes. You have no idea how energetic a five-year-old can be."

"I should start getting things together, shouldn't I? I mean, he's going to be here soon. I need to get a room ready for him. I have no idea what to do about that. I don't know what he likes and doesn't like," Callen said as worry started to seep back in.

"So ask him. I'm sure he'll be happy to tell you. And if you need some help, I'd be happy to lend a hand," Sam said.

Callen smiled. "Thanks, man."

"For now though, I gotta get going. I got my own kids to go see. I'll see you soon," Sam said as he headed for the door.


	7. Chapter 7

Callen made his way to his son's foster home. It had been about two weeks since he found out Michael was his son. He spent as much time as he could with the boy. In fact, the only time he wasn't with Michael was when he was sleeping or working on his room.

Callen parked his car in the driveway before going to the front door and knocking. Seconds later it was opened by Emma. "Oh, hello, Agent Callen. Now might not be the best time. Michael's not having a very good day."

"Then it sounds like the perfect time," Callen said before brushing past her into the house. "Where is he?"

Emma closed the door behind him. "He's barricaded himself in his room and he won't come out. He's been in there for hours."

Callen narrowed his eyes at the woman. "What the hell happened?"

"Nothing. He just got upset," Emma said.

"Don't give me that. Little boy's don't lock themselves in rooms for no reason. Something must have happened to create such a reaction. You know what, never mind. I'll ask Michael myself," Callen said before heading up the stairs. He walked to Michael's room and knocked on the door. "Michael? It's G, can I come in?"

The door opened almost instantly and Michael launched himself into Callen's arms.

Callen immediately picked the boy up into his arms. Michael shook wildly in his arms. "Hey, it's okay, buddy. What's wrong?"

Michael didn't answer. He just hung onto Callen tightly and began crying.

Callen walked into the room and kicked the door closed. He then began to rub small circles on Michael's back in an attempt to comfort him. "It's alright. Everything's alright."

Michael slowly began to calm down. He stopped crying after about five minutes, but he did not release his grip on Callen.

"Can you tell me what's wrong now, buddy?" Callen asked.

"I…I thought you were in Heaven with Mommy," Michael said, his voice was a bit hoarse from crying so much.

"What?" Callen asked in confusion before shifting Michael in his arms so that he could see the boy's face. "Why would you think that?"

"Emma said so. I heard her tell her friend that you were dead," Michael said.

Michael's words confused Callen even more. Why would Emma say he was dead? That made absolutely no sense whatsoever. "Okay, Michael, I think you misunderstood. Why don't you tell me exactly what she said?"

Michael wiped his eyes. "She telled the lady that you would stop coming to see me soon because you a dead… A dead something. I don't remember the other word, but she said you were dead.

"Did she say deadbeat?" Callen asked as things started to make sense to him.

"Yeah, that was it. But you're not dead. You're here. Did Emma lie?" Michael asked.

Callen had to try very hard to contain his anger. Who the hell did this woman think she was calling him a deadbeat, where Michael could hear he no less? She shouldn't be saying it at all, but definitely not where his son could here and misinterpret it. "Okay, buddy, she didn't mean that I was dead. I know it sounded that way, but that word actually means something different."

"What's it mean then?" Michael asked.

Callen set Michael down on the floor and knelt down to his level. "It means someone who doesn't take care of their responsibilities?"

"What are responsibilities?" Michael asked.

"It's when you don't do something you're supposed to do. But Emma was wrong. I take care of my responsibilities," Callen said. He was going to have a little chat with the foster mother when he was done reassuring Michael.

"So does that mean you're still going to come see me?" Michael asked hopefully.

Callen smiled. "Of course I am. Nothing could keep me away."

Michael smiled back and wrapped his arms around Callen's neck. "I'm glad you're my friend, G."

"Me too, buddy," Callen said as he held the boy close.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

After about an hour of talking and playing with Michael, Callen made sure the boy felt secure enough for him to leave for a while and went downstairs. Emma was standing there waiting. "Is he alright?" she asked.

Callen glared at her. "No thanks to you."

"Excuse me?" Emma asked affronted.

"Who the hell do you think you are calling me a deadbeat?" Callen asked angrily.

"I…"

"Forget the fact that you don't know nearly enough about me to make that assumption for a minute. Do you have any idea of the pain you caused Michael? He thought you were saying I was dead!" Callen said angrily.

"I didn't know he was listening," Emma defended.

"I don't care! You caused my little boy pain. Like he needs more of that right now," Callen said. Michael was still reeling from the death of his mother and being placed with strangers. The last thing he needed was to think that he'd lost the only person to show any interest in him since he lost his mother.

"Look, I am sorry that he heard me, but I'm not going to apologize for saying it. I know guys like you. You say you're interested in being a parent and you even make an effort at first, but in the end, you all just disappear. You only hang around to make yourself look good," Emma said.

"How the hell would you know? You don't know me from Adam. I am that boy's father and I intend to be his father in every way there is," Callen said.

"Yeah, that's what you all say," Emma said.

"You know what, lady, you can think whatever the hell you want. I don't care. But I'm not going to let you hurt my son again. And in any event, you're about to find out just how wrong you are about me," Callen said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Emma asked.

"It means that my son is not going to spend one more day in this house. He's leaving today," Callen said firmly. He didn't care what he had to do. Michael would be leaving with him today.

"You can't take him," Emma said.

"Watch me," Callen said before walking out the door. He then took out his phone and dialed the only person he knew with the connections to help him. "Hetty, it's me. I need a really, really big favor."


	8. Chapter 8

An hour later, Callen was in Michael's room at his foster home packing his things. While he hadn't gotten any word from Hetty yet, he was sure she'd come through. She always did.

"Why are we packing?" Michael asked.

"Well, you remember when we talked about you coming to live with me one day?" Callen asked.

Michael nodded.

"Well, that's going to happen today. We're going to pack your stuff and then we're going to bring it to my house and you're going to live there with me. Is that okay with you?" Callen asked. He hoped it was. He hoped that this wasn't too fast for Michael. He didn't want to do something the kid wasn't ready for. But he couldn't leave him here. He could not leave him with people who couldn't seem to care less about hurting him.

"How long will I stay?" Michael asked.

"For good. You'll come live with me and I'll take care of you. I know it won't be the same as your mommy, but I think I'll do okay. What do you think?" Callen asked.

"Okay," Michael said.

Callen breathed a sigh of relief. He was eternally grateful that that went so well. He wasn't sure what he would've done if his son had balked at the idea of living with him. Yes, he was better than the idiots here, but he was still just a little more than a stranger to the kid.

Soon Callen heard the voices from downstairs. He had no doubt that the second voice was Michael's social worker. He was sure Emma had called her the second he'd informed her he was taking Michael. "Uh, I'll be right back, okay, Pal. You wait here."

Michael nodded.

Callen immediately headed out of the room and downstairs. As he suspected, Emma was downstairs with Margaret Toby.

"Agent Callen, what is it that you think you're doing?" Mrs. Toby asked.

"I think you already know the answer to that. I'm taking my son home," Callen told her.

"Agent Callen, we've discussed this. There is a process that must be followed before…"

"Screw your process!" Callen said angrily. "Your process had my child thinking I was dead!"

Mrs. Toby sighed. "Emma explained to me what happened. I have told her that she was wrong for saying what she did. It won't happen again."

"You're right, it won't. Because Michael isn't going to spend another day in this house. He's coming home with me," Callen said firmly.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot let you take him," Mrs. Toby said right before her phone started ringing. She immediately picked it up. "Hello. What? But protocol has to be… Yes, sir, I understand. Alright, bye.

Callen smirked. Judging from one-sided conversation, he was guessing that Hetty had come through for him. Sure enough, two seconds later, he heard a noise from his phone indicating that he had a text. He didn't even bother looking at it. "I'm guessing your boss just told you that I _can_ take my son home."

"Agent Callen, I don't know how you managed to circumvent the system, but you are making a very grievous mistake here. I'm begging you to reconsider," Mrs. Toby said.

"The only mistake I made was not listening to my initial instincts. I knew leaving Michael here was a bad idea, but I ignored that because I was afraid of messing up if I didn't do it your way. But you know what? A buffoon could do better than her," Callen said referring to Emma.

"I resent that implication. I have been taking care of children for years," Emma said indignantly.

"My sympathies to every one of them. But Michael won't be one of them any longer. You've had my son for two weeks and you've already caused him pain," Callen said.

"Alright, then let's compromise. I'll move Michael to a new location," Mrs. Toby said.

"No. I don't need to compromise. I will take care of my own son. I'm not gonna have him shuffled around from home to home. That's just going to confuse him more," Callen said.

"And you don't think he'll be confused to be going home with a man he's known all of two weeks?" Mrs. Toby countered.

"No, I don't," Callen said. "Michael's not confused. He knows he's coming home with me and he's fine with it. That in itself ought to tell you something about the home provided here." He wasn't stupid. He knew Michael didn't so much want to live with him as he wanted to leave the house filled with people who only pretended to care about him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Emma asked.

"It means Michael's not stupid. He knows what he means to you. He's nothing but a project to you. Something you do to make yourself look like a good person. He knows you don't' give a damn about him," Callen said.

"Who do you think you are? How dare you tell me how I feel about these children? You don't know anything about me," Emma said angrily.

"The same way you dare to call me a deadbeat and allow my son to overhear it," Callen retorted. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get my son and we're going home."

Mrs. Toby grabbed Callen's arm just as he attempted to go back upstairs. "Agent Callen, don't do this. Michael needs more time to adjust."

"It's not your call anymore," Callen said before heading up the stairs. .

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Callen came down about ten minutes later with Michael and his packed bag. Emma and Mrs. Toby were waiting in the same spot he left them at.

"Agent Callen, I know there's nothing I can do to stop you, but I must once again appeal to you to change your mind. Give it another month. That's all I ask," Mrs. Toby said.

Michael tightened his grip on Callen's hand and looked up at him with slight fear. "We're still going, right?"

Callen immediately picked his son up into his arms. "Yeah, pal, we're going. And no one's going to stop us." He then glared at the two women one last time before walking out the door.


	9. Chapter 9

Callen pulled his car up to the front of his house. When he got there, he noticed three cars that shouldn't be there. They belonged to Sam, Kensi, and Deeks. Apparently Hetty had been busy.

"Are those your cars, G?" Michael asked as noticed the cars.

"No, buddy. Those cars belong to some friends of mine. It looks like they decided to give us a surprise," Callen said as he parked the car.

"Oh. Is it a good surprise?" Michael asked.

"I haven't decided yet," Callen said before getting out of the car and then helping Michael out. He took the young boy's hand and leading him into the house. "Hey, intruders! Come out with your hand up!"

Deeks emerged from the kitchen with a bottle of beer. "Hey, man."

"Hi. Hetty?" Was Callen's only question.

"Yup! Said you needed some help. That you were bringing a kid home and needed his room to be ready when you got here. Gotta tell you, for a minute, I thought there was a bad connection. I mean, why would you have a kid with you? But Sam explained when we got here. So this must be him," Deeks said before leaning down to the boy's level. "Hey there, little dude."

"Hi," Michael said.

"Michael, this is Deeks. He's a friend of mine," Callen introduced.

"You can call me Marty," Deeks said as he held out his hand.

Michael let go of Callen and shook Deeks' hand.

"Wow. You've got quite the grip there. Have you been working out?" Deeks asked jokingly after letting go of the boy's hand.

Michael started giggling and then looked up at Callen. "He's funny."

"Oh, I don't know about that. Maybe funny looking," Callen said.

"Hey," Deeks said.

"So is everything done?" Callen asked.

"Almost. Sam and Kensi are finishing up," Deeks said.

"And you're doing what exactly? Helping yourself to my refrigerator?" Callen asked with a knowing smile.

"Yeah, pretty much," Deeks said.

"Uh, Michael, why don't you go into the kitchen straight ahead? I'll be in in a minute to get you a snack," Callen said as he pointed to the kitchen.

"Okay," Michael before dashing off to the kitchen.

"He doesn't know yet," Callen said once Michael was out of earshot.

"Oh, right. Sorry," Deeks said.

Callen waved off the apology. "Anyway, it was a complicated situation. I wasn't sure how to handle it."

"I'm sure. It must have hit you like a ton of bricks. I can't imagine just waking up one morning and finding out I have a kid," Deeks said. That would probably be his definition of a worst nightmare actually. He doubted there was a worse way to become a parent than finding out your ex died, therefore thrusting you into it.

"Yeah, it was scary. By the way, for future reference, if you come across an ex with a kid you think might be yours, don't take her word for it," Callen warned. The biggest mistake he ever made was believing Kristen when she told him Michael wasn't his child. If he had known the truth then, things would've been so different. He probably couldn't have prevented Kristen's death, but things would've been better for Michael. Not only would he never have gone to foster care, but he would've known who Callen was.

"Yeah, let's just hope that never happens," Deeks said.

"The scenario I just pointed out or kids in general?" Callen asked.

"The latter. I can't have a kid. I'm still a kid at heart myself," Deeks said.

"Yeah, that's true. But I didn't think I could be a father either. The little boy in the next room proved me wrong," Callen said.

Just then, Kensi came down the stairs. "Oh, Callen, you're home."

"Yeah, just in time to see that you guys have invaded my house," Callen said playfully.

"Well, come upstairs. We're just about finished," Kensi said.

"I told Michael I'd get him a snack," Callen said as he looked towards the kitchen.

"I'll do it. Even I'm capable of doing that much," Deeks said.

"Well, okay, but give him something healthy. There are bananas on the counter," Callen said before following Kensi up the stairs and into Michael's room. Sam was in there straightening some things up.

"Hey, man. What do you think?" Sam asked.

Callen looked around. There was fresh coat of light blue paint on the walls, there was a small bed with Spiderman covers across from the door, a bureau right next to it, and a small bookshelf filled with children's books across from the bed. The bed also had a collection of plush toys on the bed.

"We didn't know what to get him, but we figured every little kid likes stuffed animals," Kensi said.

"You guys didn't have to do that," Callen said. They didn't really have to do any of it, but he certainly didn't expect them to spend money on a child they'd never even met before.

"Are you kidding? You've been spoiling my kids rotten for years. Now it's my turn," Sam said.

Soon, Deeks showed up holding Michael's hand. "Sorry, Callen. He wanted you."

Callen smiled at Michael and then noticed the cookie in his hand. "Deeks, on what planet are cookies healthy?"

"He begged," Deeks defended.

"How did he even know they were there?" Callen asked.

Deeks looked away without answering.

"You got one for yourself first, didn't you?" Kensi asked knowingly.

"No. Okay, maybe," Deeks said.

Callen looked down at Michael. "Come here, buddy."

Michael was by Callen's side in seconds.

"Michael, that's Kensi and this is your Uncle Sam," Callen said. It only seemed fitting that Michael know Sam as 'Uncle' since Sam's kids called him 'Uncle'.

Michael took one look at Sam and hid behind Callen's leg. The man was very big and kind of scary looking.

Deeks laughed. "I think you intimidate him, man."

Callen bent down and pulled Michael from behind him. "It's okay, pal. I know he looks big, but he's really cuddly on the inside."

"Man, thanks for destroying my image," Sam said jokingly.

Michael giggled a little.

"See? He's a nice guy. Look at your new room. He helped fix it up," Callen said.

Michael looked around. "This is mine."

"Yup, it's all yours. Can you say thank you to Uncle Sam, Kensi, and Deeks?" Callen asked.

"Thank you," Michael said happily.

"You're very welcome. Come here, let me show you around," Sam said as he held out his hand, which Michael happily took.

Callen smiled. He hadn't seen Michael this happy since… well, ever. It made feel like maybe, just maybe things would be okay.


	10. Chapter 10

"Mommy! Mommy!" A young voice screamed out in the night.

Callen woke up with the start. He didn't know what was going on at first. He guessed he was still half asleep because he was barely aware of his surroundings.

"Mommy!" The voice screamed again.

"Michael," Callen whispered as he finally registered that his son was what woke him up. He immediately got out of bed and raced out the door. He ran down the hall to his son's room, walked inside and turned on the light. Michael was tossing and turning in bed and looked very distressed.

Callen immediately went to the boy's side and began gently shaking him. "Michael. Come on, pal, wake up."

Michael's eyes popped open and he sat up and launched himself into Callen's arms.

Callen held his son tightly. "It's okay, buddy. It was just a nightmare."

"It was scary," Michael said as he continued to cling to Callen. "There were monsters and they were after me. I wanted Mommy."

Callen sighed. He knew that Michael probably still wanted his mother. Unfortunately, that was the one thing he couldn't have. But maybe there was something Callen could do to help Michael feel like his mother was close by. "You miss your mom, huh, buddy?"

"Yeah," Michael said.

"I got something for you. Come with me," Callen said before picking Michael up into his arms and carrying him out of the room. He walked down the hall with him and back into his own bedroom. He turned the light on and put Michael down on the bed. Then he went to the nightstand and pulled out a picture of himself and Kristin.

Callen just stared at the picture. He wasn't really even supposed to have the picture. It was part of an undercover mission and should've been placed in the file alone with everything else, but he couldn't bring himself to part with it. He'd given up every other photo, but not this one. This was the only thing he'd had to remember Kristin and he wasn't giving it up to anyone. Until now. Michael needed it more than he did. Besides, now he had something else to remember Kristin, something a hundred times better. He had Michael.

"What is it, G?" Michael asked, interrupting Callen's thoughts.

Callen walked over to his son and held out the photo. The look on the boy's face made his whole week.

Michael's face lit up as he took the picture of his mother. "Mommy! That's you and Mommy."

"That's right," Callen said as he sat down on the bed with his son.

"Why did you take a picture with my mommy?" Michael asked.

"Well, we were friends, remember. Friends take pictures together sometimes," Callen answered as honestly as he could without confusing the boy.

"Were you Mommy's friend the way Tommy was before they got married?" Michael asked.

"Yeah, sort of. I, uh, bet you miss Tommy too," Callen said.

Michael nodded. "Tommy said he was going to be my daddy. I would've liked to have a daddy. All the kids at school had daddies, but not me."

For a split second, Callen considered telling him. He wanted for Michael to know who he was so much. But after thinking about it, he realized that Michael wasn't ready. He was just a little boy. He couldn't handle that after less than twenty-four hours of living with him and barely a month of knowing him. He needed to give it more time. Michael needed to get comfortable with him before he dropped that bombshell on him.

While Callen wasn't ready to tell Michael who he was, he was curious as to what Michael knew about his father. "Did your mommy ever tell you about your daddy?"

Michael nodded. "I have his last name instead of Mommy's. It's Tedrow like his. She said he loved me very much, but that he had to go away."

Callen sighed in relief. He was grateful that even if Kristin couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth, she at least didn't destroy him in Michael's eyes. She hadn't portrayed him as the criminal he'd pretended to be. She told their son that he loved him. "Your mommy was right, Michael. Your daddy loves you."

"How do you know?" Michael asked curiously.

"Because no one could have you for a son and not love you," Callen said.

Michael smiled and crawled into Callen's lap, all the while hugging his mother's picture.

Callen wrapped his arms around the small boy and held him tightly.

Michael snuggled up in Callen's arms and rested his head against his shoulder. It wasn't long before he started to drift off to sleep.

Callen waited until he was sure Michael was asleep before carefully picking him up and carrying him down the hall to his room. He put him in bed and carefully took the photo out of his hands.

Michael barely stirred as he was put back in bed.

Callen put the picture of himself and Kristin on the nightstand by Michael's bed and then proceeded to tuck Michael back in. He then leaned in and kissed Michael on the forehead. "Everything's going to be okay now, son. Daddy's here and he loves you." He'd been yearning to say those words since he went to see Michael the first time at the foster home, but he couldn't say it to the boy's face yet. It felt good to finally be able to say it, even if his son couldn't hear him.

Callen spent a couple of minutes watching Michael sleep before getting up and heading out of the room. He closed the door all but a crack and headed back to his own room to get some more sleep.


End file.
